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TIPS FOR SENDING YOUR KIDS TO CAMP!

SAMPLE DAILY SCHEDULE PACKING LIST Inside!

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Dear Parents and Campers,It is with great excitement that we welcome you and your family to the Camp Ramah in the Poconos community! Our hope is that this summer your child begins a life-long journey with Camp Ramah; one which will offer them deep and lasting friendships, a positive Jewish identity, and of course — countless memories of indescribable fun!

Our campers’ ages range from current 2nd–10th graders, which means that developmentally, socially, intellectually, and emotionally they differ widely. In recognition of this fact, we have worked hard to create age-appropriate experiences for each of our camper age-groups. This is why, as our campers mature in both age and intellectual ability, our camp program matures with them; incorporating longer trips outside of camp, more focused leadership opportunities, as well as camper-driven learning. Inside this magazine you will find a sample schedule, and we are always available to answer any specific questions you might have regarding your child’s program this summer.

Additionally, this magazine will also offer you some informational pages describing the Ramah experience for both your child and for you as a parent. Also included are some fun games which we hope will help your child familiarize themselves to some of the basic Hebrew vocabulary of Camp Ramah.

Please know that we are eager to receive feedback on the experience from you and your children. We are always looking to grow, improve, and evolve. Our newest campers represent the beginning, the present, and most importantly, our future. We sincerely hope that this welcoming experience initiates for your child and your family a Ramah journey that lasts a lifetime!

In partnership and excitement,

Rabbi Joel Seltzer Michelle Sugarman Executive Director Associate Director

Welcomeברוכים הבאים

The National Ramah Commission acknowledges with thanks the generous support of The AVI CHAI Foundation and the Zell Family Foundation in making this program possible.

Sample Daily Schedule7:30 AM קימה Kimah (Wake Up!)8:00 AM תפילות T’fillot (Services) by age group8:45 AM ארוחת בוקר Aruchat Boker (Breakfast)9:30 AM נקיון Nikayon (Clean up)10:00 AM ספורט Sports

11:00 AM שחייה Schiya (Swim)12:00 PM תרבות ישראל Tarbut (Israeli Culture)1:00 PM ארוחת צהריים Aruchat Tzohoraim (Lunch)1:45 PM מנוחה Menuchah (Rest time)2:30 PM פעולת אמנויות Omanut (Art Activity)3:30 PM פעולת צריף Peulat Tzrif (Bunk Activity)4:30 PM יהדות Yahadut (Judaics Activity)5:30 PM שירה/ריקוד Music/Dance

6:45 PM ארוחת ערב Aruchat Erev (Dinner)7:45 PM פעולת ערב Peulat Erev (Night Activity)9:00 PM לילה טוב Lilah Tov! (Goodnight!)

At Ramah, there is a staff position known as the Yoetz/et

(Advisor). The role of the Yoetz/et is to help address problems that

cannot be handled through the mail such as family emergencies,

homesickness, and adjustment problems.

The Yoetz/et works very closely with other staff in camp, such as your

child’s Madrichim (counselors) and Rosh Edah (Division Head), as well as the

Executive Director and Associate Director. They work around the clock with your child’s

best interests in mind.

If you need to be in touch with someone at camp regarding your child (perhaps you

received a troubling letter, there is a family emergency) please direct your call to the

Yoetz/et. The Yoatzim are not routinely at a phone to receive calls, but are given

messages in a timely manner. In order to thoroughly assess a given situation we ask

that when calling, you:

1. Explain the situation clearly to the person answering the telephone, giving the exact

nature of your questions or concerns.

2. Give the telephone number(s) where you can be reached and the time that you can be

reached. (Remember we are 1 hour behind)

3. Allow us 24–36 hours (except for emergencies) to call back with information.

Due to the nature of our camp program and

our physical site, non-emergency telephone

messages are delivered at the next meal, if not

sooner. Every effort is made to contact people

as soon as possible after a call is received.

However, it is not unusual for a staff member

to receive a message at lunch that may have

been received at 9:30AM.

The Executive Director, Associate Director, and Yoetz/et will determine who can best

handle your concern and deal most directly and effectively with your particular situation.

In an effort to have the appropriate staff member address your particular situation,

you may receive a call back from the Doctor, Office Manager, Registrar, Business

Manager, Yoetz/et, Associate Director, or Executive Director – whoever is most appropriate.

We welcome your communication. Please note that all new camper parents will receive

a phone call check-in within the first 2 days of camp.

If you need to be in touch with someone at camp regarding your child, please direct your call to the Yoetz/et.

Ramah’s Yoatzim (Advisors)

Camper Care

Who Will Take Care of My Child at Camp?DIRECTORS OF CAMP RAMAH

Executive Director – Rabbi Joel Seltzer

Associate Director – Michelle Sugarman

EDAH (DIVISION) ROSH EDAH (DIVISION HEAD) Taste of Ramah (current 2nd & 3rd grade) Rebecca Kossman Yedidim (Tikvah Campers) Lindsay FormanNotzitzim (current 3rd & 4th grade) Aaron Besser Tze’erim (current 5th grade) Matan AyashHalutzim (current 6th grade) Tobi Afran Bogrim (current 7th grade) Sarah GoldbergMachon (current 8th grade) Avram Ellner Shoafim (current 9th grade) Davida Vogel Gesher (current 10th grade) Aaron Walinsky

The name of your child’s Yoetzet will be mailed in early June.

Parents are our partners. We welcome you to be in touch if you receive a letter with concerning information.

We may turn to you for helpful strategies if your child experiences challenges.

Camp Psychologist – Dr. Rachel Abel

Yoetz/et – Parent Liaison

The Marp – Infirmary Staff

Rosh Edah – Division Head

Madrichim – Counselors

Quick Tip!

You can let your child know that there will always be someone they can turn to if something is bothering them.

Camper Packing List 10–14 t-shirts/casual shirts

3–5 long sleeve shirts

2–3 pairs of jeans

2 pairs of sweatpants

4–6 pairs of shorts

3 pairs of pajamas/sleepwear

14 pairs of underwear

14 pairs of socks

1 warm jacket

2 sweatshirts/fleece

1 hooded raincoat or poncho

2 hats

3-5 swimsuits (no bikinis* for girls)

10 kippot required for boys, optional for girls

1 extra pair of glasses/contact lenses

2 pairs of sneakers

1 pair of rain boots

1 pair of nice shoes for Shabbat

1 pair of pool shoes

Sleeping bag

2 blankets (for daily use)

Pillow and pillowcases

2 sets of twin size sheets

(fitted and top sheet)

Comb/brush

4 bath towels

3 pool towels

Soap with traveling holder or body wash

Sunscreen

Toothbrush and toothpaste

Shampoo and conditioner

Water Bottle

2 laundry bags

Clothes hangers

Flashlight and batteries

Pens, stationery, stamps

Insect repellent

White t-shirt for tie-dying

Suggested: swimming goggles, disposable

camera, extra batteries, extra stamps, books,

playing cards, box to store smaller items, clip

on fan, athletic equipment, stain stick, tissues,

plastic drinking cup

Shabbat

3 dress shirts (long or short)

2 pairs of dress slacks or khakis

2 pairs of dress shorts

1 sweater

3 pairs of dress socks

3–4 modest dresses or skirts and blouses

2 sweaters/cardigans

3 pair of panty hose or tights

*Tankinis are permitted.

Do I pack my child’s favorite t-shirt? What if it gets lost? What’s the best way to label clothing? These may be a few of the questions going through your mind as you begin the packing process. Below are a few tips offered by veteran camp parents who have perfected the art of packing for camp. And yes, it is most certainly an art!

• Pack WITH your child, not at night after they are fast asleep. You may be surprised about what items your child doesn’t want to leave home without. More importantly, this helps familiarize them with what is in their luggage so that upon arrival at camp it’s easy for them to locate everything they need.

• Provide tools for organization. If you can imagine that your child’s cubby may easily become a black hole of clothing where it could be challenging to find a pair of clean socks, you may want to consider sending up certain items like socks and underwear in mesh laundry bags.

• Ziplock bags are your friend! Use them for the following: • Underwear – send extra • Socks – send extra • Liquid Toiletries

• Pack a shower basket for all of your child’s toiletries. Once at camp, the counselors will instruct your child to put their toiletries into this basket, and it will be used daily to help keep your child organized during shower time. If you have not purchased this before, Target usually has this item.

• Label, label, label. Make sure to label everything you send with your child (including the clothes they wear on the bus). Please take the time to label all items including water bottles, flashlights, even shoes. Labels make bunk clean-up occur more smoothly and allow us to return items left around camp before the session ends. Iron-on labels work as well. Please use your child’s full name when labeling, you’d be surprised how many kids there are up at camp with the same initials or names!

• Don’t pack anything valuable or expensive. We expect your child to have so much fun at camp that the last thing on their mind is going to be keeping track of socks, underwear, nice shirts, etc.

• Please don’t pack items like food or large electronics that are not allowed at camp. These items will be confiscated and then your child is stuck in the situation of having to start camp by having something taken away from them. We want camp to be a place of giving and sharing.

• Pack all linens on the top. All Notzitzim and Tze’erim campers will have their beds made for them by their counselors before they arrive. Taste of Ramah campers will make their beds with their counselors upon arrival.

Packing Tips & Advice

The menus at Ramah are planned to be both healthy and fun for the campers. All meals are served family style. Most dinners are followed by spirited singing, a highlight of the summer!

If you have any questions about the meals at camp, please call the camp office. We can put you in touch with our licensed nutritionist, Beth Schwartzman.

Sample Breakfasts• Pancakes with Maple Syrup• Scrambled Eggs and Biscuits• Waffles and Assorted Fruit• Oatmeal• Matzah Brei• Bagels and Cream Cheese• Cereal and Milk are offered every morning.

In addition, a salad bar is available every breakfast with a variety of options, such as yogurt, fruit, cottage cheese, hard boiled eggs, sliced cheese, and assorted milk (including Lactaid milk).

On occasion, individual bunks go out of camp for cookouts, complete with “Rocky Mountain Toast,” hot chocolate, scrambled eggs and more, all cooked over a campfire!

Sample Lunches• Grilled Cheese and Tomato soup• “Ramacobell” Rice and Beans make your own tacos • Cheese Ravioli/Manicotti/Tortellini/Ziti• Stir Fried Asian Vegetables with Wonton Soup• Falafel, Hummus, and Israeli Salads• Wrap Sandwiches• Pizza • Potato Perogies with Sautéed Onions• Veggie Chili with Baked Potatoes• Veggie “Chicken” Nuggets with Dipping Sauces

All lunches come with side dishes such as vegetables, garlic bread, etc.

We also have a salad bar available at every lunch.

Salad bar options include “PB” and J, tuna and egg salad, three bean salads, pasta salads, fruit, and yes, salad!

Sample Dinners• Honey Mustard/BBQ/Italian

Baked Chicken• Spaghetti and Meatballs• Hamburger and Hotdog

Outdoor BBQ with all the fixings! (chicken wings, potato salad, baked beans, pasta salad, watermelon, salad bar, bug juice, brownies, and much more)

• Pasta Primavera• Turkey Cutlets with Thanksgiving Style Sides• Chicken Stir Fry• BBQ Beef Sandwiches with Seasoned Orzo • Sloppy Joes with French fries• Eggplant Parmesan with Garlic Bread• Make Your Own Hoagie Night

The salad bar at dinner is very similar to the lunch time salad bar, plus has a specialty salad and another something “special” such as Jell-o.

All dinners include dessert.

ShabbatOn Shabbat, meals are very special. A large Friday night dinner is served with several courses. Shabbat breakfast is actually in the middle of T’fillot, thus breaking up the services for children. Shabbat lunch is a lavish buffet, with over twenty choices! Dinner Saturday night is dairy, and usually includes a pasta such as macaroni and cheese, or lasagna, plus a vegetable, side dishes, and ice cream and popsicles for dessert!

Vegetarian options are available for all meals. All meals are peanut free. Lactose free meals are available as well.

Camp menus are created by professionals in the foodservice industry. Nutritionists are consulted to ensure that the options are not only fun and tasty for children, but wholesome as well. We do not add Trans fats and do not fry in oil that has Trans fats. We also try to bake (versus fry) things whenever possible, such as chicken.

Our entire kitchen is Glatt Kosher, with a Mashgiah Timidi, one who supervises to ensure that everything is kosher at all times. Further supervision is provided by our Executive Director, Rabbi Seltzer, as well as Rabbi Roth of the Jewish Theological Seminary.

Menu Options

Ramah VocabularyIn order to achieve a Hebrew environment at Ramah, we use Hebrew for most places, names, events, activities, etc. We use the Hebrew terms exclusively so that campers come to identify the place or activity by its Hebrew name.

זהעברית!

The Names and Grades for each of our ,usg (Edot) – Divisions – are:Yedidim ohshsh Tikvah campers Notzitzim ohmmub 3rd & 4th GradesTze’erim ohrhgm 5th GradeHalutzim ohmukj 6th GradeBogrim ohrduc 7th GradeMachon iufn 8th GradeShoafim ohptua 9th GradeGesher rad 10th Grade

Should your child write about: You will know it means:PlacesChadar Ochel kfut rsj Dining RoomHanutiyah vh,ubj Canteen Beit Am og ,hc Social Hall Agam odt LakeBreicha vfhrc Pool“The Marp” vtprn Infirmary

PeopleTzrif ;hrm BunkEdah vsg DivisionTzevet ,uum StaffRosh Edah vsg atr Division HeadMadatz / Madatzit ,hm'sn/.''sn Junior Counselor Madrich / Madricha vfhrsn/lhrsn Counselor

ActivitiesRikkud suehr Dance Shira vrha SingingMaccabiah vhcfn Color WarYom Doar rtus ouh Letter Writing DayPeulat Erev crg ,kugp Evening ActivitiesOmanut ,ubnt Arts & Crafts Kadoor Sal kx rusf Basketball T’fillot ,ukhp, ServicesTiyul kuhy Out of Camp TripSchiya vhhja SwimPetzah (Peulat Tzrifv’edah) g''mp Bunk or Edah ActivitiesKav Reches xfr ue Hiking/CampingMitbachon iujcyn Little KitchenBeeshul kuahc Outdoor CookingTeva gcy NatureShmirah vrhna Night PatrolPerek erp Activity PeriodYitzirah vrhmh Activities (non-sport)Machazeh vzjn Play (drama)“Etgar” rd,t Ropes Course

Rad HaYom

Camp SongMistak’lim al Migrash Banim

V’omrim: “Eizeh Nof Madhim”

K’sh’haShemesh yoredet l’yad Beit haAm

Ein makom yoter yafeh ba’olam

Rak Po – b’Poconos!

Chozrim HaBayitah, haDerekh Arukah

Chozrim HaBayitah, l’Machaneh Ramah

Chozrim HaBayitah, Ramah.

Holchim, yad b’yad LaChadar

Olim v’yordim me’al haEtgar

Kol kayitz mitkar’vim echad la’sheini

U’fitom – laNetzach chaverim!

Rad HaYom

Shemesh Dom

Cochavim Notzitzim BaMarom

Lilah Ba

Leil M’nuchah

Shalom

Shalom

Word Games

CAMP RAMAH WORD SEARCH

BREICHA RAMAHCHADAR OCHELCOUNSELOR

FRIENDSSHABBAT POCONOS

LAKESMORESETGAR

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WORD SCRAMBLETry your best to unscramble the words below! B’hatzlacha! (good luck)

1. ocPoson __ __ __ __ __ __ __

2. kiowFresr __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

3. aiahbcacM __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

4. Ymo raesliY __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

5. mUal ptSro __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

6. abSatbh __ __ __ __ __ __ __

7. Rhso hdaE __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

ACROSS3 An age group or division at Camp4 A type of meal we have Wednesday nights outside with

hamburgers, hot dogs and watermelon!7 The name of our Camp Infirmary8 Place where the whole camp has Friday night services9 The Hebrew word for community10 An activity offered at Camp that uses a bow and arrow11 A friend you would share a bunk bed with12 An activity that can be done on the lake, without getting wet

DOWN1 The Hebrew word for your counselors2 A sport you can play at Camp with a ball and a hoop5 Something to make sure you don’t get burned!6 You should have this with you at all times so you

don’t get dehydrated or thirsty!11 The building where you and all of your friends will sleep

at night

CAMP RAMAH CROSSWORD PUZZLE

See You in the Poconos!!

Summer Contact Info: 2618 Upper Woods Road, Lakewood, PA 18439 • Phone: 570-798-2504 • Fax: 570-798-2049

שלום!

2100 Arch StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19103